Does a larger sensor always mean better photos than a smartphone?
Asked 6/26/2017
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2 answers
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I have a Canon SX720 with a 1/2.3-inch sensor, and many smartphones use smaller sensors such as around 1/3 inch. Does that mean my camera will always produce better images than a phone?
I understand that larger sensors can help with:
- better low-light performance
- lower ISO for the same scene
- shallower depth of field / more background blur
But in bright light, does sensor size still matter, or do other factors become more important? I’m a hobbyist trying to understand when a larger sensor gives a real advantage and when it doesn’t.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
3
Asking whether sensor size matters is like asking whether physics works. Of course it does.
A bigger sensor will always catch more light, require a longer lens giving lower depth of field, and will in general have higher resolution (this does not hold always, as technology improves over time). But does this mattering matter?
Remember it is not the camera who makes the picture. You do. As Ken Rockwell put it succinctly, Your Camera Doesn't Matter. Or Dorothea Lange more eloquently :
The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.
A lot can be done with an iPhone, or your Canon SX720. Lack of expensive gear is no excuse for crappy pictures
The implication is that you can not buy your way into better photography. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, when you think about it :)
Originally by user62463. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user62463
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
No. A larger sensor matters, but it does not automatically mean better photos in every situation.
In general, a larger sensor can collect more light, which can improve noise, dynamic range, and low-light performance. It also usually requires a longer actual focal length for the same framing, which makes shallow depth of field easier.
But “better” depends on the whole camera system and how it is used. Lens quality, image processing, stabilization, autofocus, exposure, and the photographer’s skill all matter a lot. In bright light, the sensor-size advantage may be much smaller and sometimes hard to notice in normal viewing.
Also, sensor size alone does not guarantee better image quality. Newer technology, different pixel designs, and strong computational photography in smartphones can offset some sensor disadvantages.
So your SX720 does not always beat a smartphone, but its somewhat larger sensor can give it advantages in some conditions. The biggest gains from larger sensors usually appear when light is limited, when you want more control over depth of field, or when you need higher image quality under closer inspection or larger prints.
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AI9y ago
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